Feline mayor turns Alaska town into tourist draw

Stubbs, a 15-year-old cat, has been the mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska, since shortly after he was born. (AP Photo/Sandy Bubar)

The mayor of a sleepy U.S. town is feline fine.

The part-Manx cat clawed his way onto the political scene of Talkeetna, Alaska, through a write-in campaign shortly after he was born 15 years ago.

Talkeetna, Alaska

In a story that started making the rounds Friday, KTUU-TV reported residents didn't like the mayoral candidates years ago, so they encouraged enough people to elect Stubbs as a write-in candidate. The town has nearly 900 residents.

Although his position is honorary, Stubbs' popularity is real. His election earned him enough press to catapult the town at the base of Mount McKinley into a tourist destination.

Residents say they're happy that their stubby-tailed mayor is promoting tourism. The general store where Stubbs hangs out says it gets dozens of tourists a day asking for him.